Gaza militants prepare for sudden Israeli military strike ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua by Saud Abu Ramadan, Emad Drimly - April 1, 2010 - 12:00am Palestinian factions' armed wing on Wednesday declared a status of "preparedness" following the increasing Israeli army officials' threats to carry out a sudden military strike against its militants in the Gaza Strip, ruled by Islamic Hamas movement. Abu Obeida, spokesman of Hamas armed wing, al-Qassam Brigades expected on Wednesday that the Israeli army would carry out a sudden military strike on the Gaza Strip "in any moment" in response to last Friday's military attack southeast Gaza Strip, where two Israeli soldiers were killed. » Read more

Palestinian official: Israel to encircle Jerusalem's Old City with settlements ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua April 1, 2010 - 12:00am A Palestinian official on Thursday warned that Israel is planning to encircle the Old City in disputed East Jerusalem with Jewish settlements. Such a move would increase tensions since the majority of residents there are Arabs and the walled compound in the Old City includes the holy Al-Aqsa Mosque. The official, Hatem Abdul-Kader, told Voice of Palestine radio that this plan was "oppressive" as some 310 Palestinian houses in nearby Arab neighborhoods would be demolished. The new project will take the shape of a crescent and would embrace the Old City, Abdul-Kader said. » Read more

Israel ends probe into Palestinian protester death ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press April 1, 2010 - 12:00am Israel's military says it will not file any charges in the death of a Palestinian protester last year. Thirty-one-year-old Bassem Abu Rahmeh was killed when a tear gas canister fired by troops hit him in the chest during a protest last April against Israel's West Bank separation barrier. The army claimed Abu Rahmeh was in a group of people throwing rocks at troops. But video footage showed the protesters shouting at soldiers, not throwing anything. The Israeli military said Thursday it closed the investigation after determining the canister was not intentionally aimed at Abu Rahmeh. » Read more

Palestinian Christians to be barred from Old City ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency April 1, 2010 - 12:00am Palestinians, particularly Christians will be barred from entering Jerusalem's Old City and accessing the Church of the Holy Sepulchre on Saturday, when eastern Orthodox Christians observe Sept An-Nour, or Saturday of light. Church officials were informed by Israeli police that only international pilgrims would be allowed to access the area, Jerusalem officials said on Wednesday. » Read more

Village: Elon Moreh settlers create new outpost ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency April 1, 2010 - 12:00am Caravan homes, water tanks and tents were installed by settlers on lands belonging to the village of Deir Al-Hatab on Thursday, in what locals said appeared to be an attempt to create an outpost of Elon Moreh settlement. Head of the Deir Al-Hatab village council, Abdul Karim Hussein, said the outpost was set up in the early hours of the morning about 500 meters northeast of the village. » Read more

Israel silent on Obama's four-month building freeze in East Jerusalem ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Christian Science Monitor by Ilene Prusher - March 31, 2010 - 12:00am President Barack Obama asked Israel to agree to put a four-month freeze on plans to pursue controversial construction projects in East Jerusalem, in return for enabling direct Israel-Palestinian peace talks to start, the Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported Wednesday. The paper quoted an unnamed official in Jerusalem. Officials at the US Embassy in Tel Aviv were unavailable for comment. » Read more

When Israel and France Broke Up ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times by Gary J. Bass - (Opinion) March 31, 2010 - 12:00am IN the face of rising tensions between the United States and Israel over housing construction in East Jerusalem, the Obama administration has rushed to reassert what Secretary of State Hillary Clinton recently called the “unshakable bond” between the two countries. No doubt, that relationship rests on enduring foundations, including broad American public sympathy for a besieged democracy, a mutual strategic interest in resisting Arab extremism and a sense of moral duty to preserve the Jewish people after the Holocaust. » Read more

PA officials in US for security consultation ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Ali Waked - April 1, 2010 - 12:00am Palestinian Interior Minister Saeed Abu Ali has left for Washington together with the commander of the Palestinian Preventive Security Service, Ziyad Hab al-Rih, for security consultations. The meetings are aimed at examining the Palestinian Authority's preparedness for taking full security control of additional territories in the West Bank, which now belong to Areas B and C and will become part of Area A. The two officials will be joined by additional Palestinians officers later on. » Read more